26 January 2011

This is how "Food Security" look like under imperialism

Government to lift import duties on staple foods

Jakarta Post - January 20, 2011

Esther Samboh, Jakarta -- The government will soon abolish import dutiesfor 30 staple commodities starting from the end of this month amid risingconcerns over a possible food supply shortage at home and surging foodprices in the world market.

Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said Wednesday that the commoditiesincluded wheat, animal feed, fertilizer, soybean as well as many others.

"There will be a time frame for the scrapping of the import duties, soonce global food prices have stabilized, there will be an evaluation as towhen it would be revoked," Mari told reporters after a meeting at theOffice of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy in Jakarta.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa said the FinanceMinistry would issue a regulation on Thursday (today) on the abolishmentof the import tariffs of these 13 commodities.

"The team has suggested 30 types of staple commodities that are all food-related. We want to safeguard the people's needs as well as theindustries' at the same time," Hatta told reporters at the same event.

Mari added that the regulation would be similar to that in 2008, when thefinance minister issued a new ruling to stabilize prices in the midst ofsurging food prices. The United Nation's food agency has said that foodprices hit a new high last month, even higher than prices in 2008.

Surging food prices have resulted in mounting inflationary pressures, withheadline inflation reaching a 20-month high of almost 7 percent inDecember mainly due to a nearly 18 percent spike in volatile food prices.

The government is also finalizing a presidential regulation on theprocurement of fertilizers and seeds. "This is regulated in a presidentialregulation to ensure food stocks and supply so that extreme weather willnot delay planting season," he added.

Hatta has also said that the government would intensify market operationsto ensure food stocks and supply as well as to stabilize prices. "Socialsecurity programs, rice subsidy and a low-cost market will be mobilizedand intensified as soon as possible," he added.

"There are a number of state firms spread throughout the archipelago.Their role in keeping prices stable has been effective, so we want toutilize them to sell rice, cooking oil, sugar and other staple food at lowprices," he said, adding that he hoped the markets would open at thebeginning of February at the latest.

Solidarity with Journalists in Sri Lanka, Defend democratic rights!

Free Baba Jan and all political prisoners in Pakistan!

Free All Political Prisoners in Papua

Free Somyot; Free Thailand

People's Liberation Party

PEOPLE'S LIBERATION PARTY is a new name for Political Committee of The Poor - People's Democratic Party (KPRM-PRD). We decided to remove PRD as our historical identity since it’s no longer relevant to be maintained. This is also to move forward our struggle as a revolutionary party in Indonesia to be part of the people of the whole world's struggle for socialism in 21st century.

Visitor

Politic of the Poor

The politics of the poor is an alternative, a rival perspective based on the strength of the peoples own resistance, based non the principles of non-cooptation with the enemies of the people.

The concrete manifestation of the politics of the poor is the broadening and unifying of the peoples resistance, a unifying of the peoples mobilizations raising up demands and solutions to the socio-economic problems of the people. These mobilizations must grow and enter into every political arena of the poor, and the elections are just one of these.

No matter how difficult, the building of the peoples own strength to resist must be carried out, the problems must be overcome; this task cannot be avoided. Because this is the only way to make a Revolution, a Revolution that will open the way to Socialism in Indonesia.

Solidarity for Papua 2010

Header poster

Koran Pembebasan

Bimonthly paper of People Liberation Party

Waaeee, waaeooo... we can do it.

The honor and respect afforded to star West Papuan athletes playing in Indonesian colours at this year's SEA Games stands in stark contrast to the economic marginalization, discrimination and poverty Papuans face in their own land – home to the giant Freeport gold and copper mine – which saw profits double to $1.4 billion in the 2nd quarter of 2011 alone but contributes a measly 1% of its revenue to local communities whose environment and livelihoods are being decimated by the mine's operations. Kompas - November 16, 2011